Thales awarded two contracts by the Polish national infrastructure manager Polskie Linie Kolejowe for E20 Kunowice-Terespol and E30 Kraków-Rzeszów lines

Thales awarded two contracts by the Polish national infrastructure manager Polskie Linie Kolejowe for E20 Kunowice-Terespol and E30 Kraków-Rzeszów lines

• Contracts worth €182 million to implement ERTMS/ETCS Level 2 on two lines
• Development will cover 785 km of rail systems, 41 stations and 7 Local Control Centres
• Speed of passenger trains to increase to 160 km/h

La Défense, France, 06-Jun-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — The Polish national infrastructure manager Polskie Linie Kolejowe is embarking on a massive modernisation programme encompassing the nation’s rail infrastructure. The project focuses on ensuring that more trains can travel through the network safely and at higher speeds thanks to the implementation of cutting edge technology. In January 2018, the operator announced that Thales has been selected to help them in this ambition. The Group was awarded two contracts, one for line E20 Kunowice-Terespol (crossing Poland from Germany to Belarus borders and excluding the Warsaw node) and the other for line E30 Kraków-Rzeszów (Southern Poland).

After completion, these programmes, with a total value of €182 million (773.3 million Polish zloty), will ensure trains will be able to reach speeds of 160 km/h. Because of the improvements to both lines, trains will travel in total safety even taking the increased speeds into account.

Thales will design and deliver the signalling and railway traffic control systems, including the implementation of Level 2 ERTMS/ETCS (European Rail Traffic Management System / European Train Control System). The development of line E20 will cover 650 km and include 25 stations and five Local Control Centres (Mińsk Mazowiecki, Błonie, Opalenica, Zbąszynek, Rzepin). In the case of E30 the development will cover 135 km, including 16 stations and two Local Control Centres (Tarnów and Rzeszów).

ERTMS/ETCS is a signalling system designed to limit the number of incidents, and ensure that a greater number of trains can be managed safely. It therefore provides a net benefit to Poland in terms of passengers and freight capacities, especially on routes between Western and Eastern Europe. The deployment of Thales’s signalling systems, which are fully compatible with European standards for rail transport, marks an important milestone for the country as it achieves greater and greater integration with its European Union partners.

“Thales has been engaged in the process of modernisation of the Polish railway lines since 1998. We’re very glad that PKP PLK has decided to choose our signalling solution and trust us once again. This will let railway passengers take advantage of our high-tech equipment and systems and travel faster while enjoying a high level of safety and comfort. Thales railway traffic control systems have gained recognition among our clients across the whole world.”
Pawel Piotrowski, Country Director of Thales in Poland.

About Thales in Poland
Thales has been present in Poland since 1992 and currently employs more than 290 people. The company provides its customers with technologically advanced solutions for the Aerospace, Ground Transportation, Defence, Security and Space domains. Thales is a key player on the Polish market for rail signalling solutions. In cooperation with Polish industry, Thales leverages its expertise for advanced air defence, tactical vehicles, naval and unmanned aerial solutions in support of the modernisation of the Polish Armed Forces.

In ground transportation, Thales has played a major role in Poland’s rail network. For a number of years the company has been involved in implementing the latest rail signalling technologies, with the first major project completed being the Poznań Railway Node. Thales is the first company in Poland to have successfully implemented the ETCS (European Train Control System) Level 1 system. Designed and delivered by Thales, the system services 225 km of the CMK line between Grodzisk Mazowiecki and Zawiercie. The most important works are taking place on line E65 Warsaw-Gdynia, line L7 Warsaw-Lublin and line L8 Warsaw-Radom.

Contact
Sonia Le Guével, Thales Media Relations – Transportation
+33 1 57 77 91 60

SOURCE: Thales Group